Stop-motion for knitting-machines.



PATENTED FEB. 25, 1903 v J. s. 0mm.

STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1903.

' 5 $HEETS-SHEET 1.

\A/ITN EESE5 INVENTCII li- No. 880,013. PATENTED FEB. 25; 1908.

J. s. CRANE.

$TOP MOTION FOR-KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED M R 31, 1903.

. A 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 880,013. PATENTED FEB;25,1908. J. S. CRANE.

STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING ISIIAOHINES.

PPLIOATION FILED MA 1 190a. A R 3 5 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Ill

.PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

LS. CRANE. STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

AiPLIOATION FILED MAR. 31, 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTQ WITNESSES:-

No. 880,018. PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

J. s. CRANE. I

STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLIOATIGN FILED MAR. 31, 1903.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

wuemfoz /& HUM/H21 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. CRANE, OF LAOONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

STOP-MOTION FOB KNITTING-MACHINES.

No. es0,013.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

I Patented Feb. 2c, 1908.

Application filed March 31. 1903. Serial No. 150.361-

which the following is a speci cation.

The object of the present invention is to supply to a knittin machine astop-motion of such delicacy and accuracy of operation as to stop theknitting of the machine whenever the yarn breaks or other accidentoccurs, thus avoiding, in the knitted fabric, suchimperfections as haveusually heretofore been cured by mending. This renders possible the.production of a very high grade of fabric, .showing no material faults.The

resent improvements have been embodied in a circular multiple-feedribbing knitting machine having two sets of independent spring needles,and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show suflicientof such a machine to enable the improvements to be understood.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the head of themachine. Big. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of the machine in avertical radial plane. Fig. 3 is a lan View of a portion of the machine,part y in 'horizontal section, illustrating the clutch shiftingconnections.

half the size of the standard scale.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section. of a portion of the machine in the planeindicated by the line 44 in Fig. 3.

ig. 5 is a detail vertical. section, along a line concentric with thedial, passing through one of the gravity detectors and showing theposition of the parts when a yarn has just been broken. Fig. 6 is asection similar to Fig. 5,

but, showing the parts in the position which they assume after themachine has been stopped as the result of the breakage of one of theyarns. Fig. 7 is a detail side view illustrating a .ortion of thestop-motion mechanism. F1gs.8 and 9 are views illustrating a modifiedform of yarn-detectors used in the stop-motion.

Figs. 2, 5, 6, 8 and 9 are drawn to the standard scale which a pearsbeneath Fig. 2. Figs. 3, 4 and 7 are drawn to a scale one- Fig. 1 is notdrawn toscale, but is drawn approximately one-third size-as comparedwith the standard scale.

3 The improvements are illustrated in the. drawings asembodied in amachine of the side and the sinkers on the other.

' type wherein the needles and their carriers has been fully described.

The main needles a are carried by the carrier or cylinder 31, which issupported b and journaled in the bed-plate 32, as bests own in Fig. 2.by the rotating carrier or dial 33. The mannor in which the cylinder anddial are mounted and rotated is well-known and requires no descri tion-The knitting cams for the The ribbing needles I) are carried main neeles and the yarn feeds are mounted on the bed-plate 32, and the knittingcams for the ribbing needles are mounted upon and beneath a normallystationary cam or capplate 34, which covers the dial 33 and (see .ig. 1)is supported by theusual overhanging fixed yoke 35. The needles 0. and bare secured to jacks c which cooperate with the actuating cams, and theneedles with their jacks slide in grooves in the cylinder 31 and dial33, respectively. The needles a are maintained in their grooves by anencircling s ring band (1. In these several respects tiie machine islike a well-known type of circular knitting machine.

The machine which has been selected to illustrate an embodiment of thepresent improvements is equipped with a plurality both of yarn feeds andneedle actuating devices, but as these several sets of mechanism arejust alike it will su'l'llce to refer to a single set. Fig. 1su'lliciently illustrates how the several yarn feeds are disposed, threebeing shown, and the general arrangement of such multiple feeds andneedle actuating devices being well-known in the art.

The thread or yarn q comes from any suitable supply (see Fig. 1) to andthrough the eye (2 (Figs. 5 and 6) of a yarn detector A (which is theprimary device of the yarn stop-motion), thence through a yarn guide 36(Fig. 2) secured to the stationary capplate 34, and thence through afixed yarn guide f carried by the frame of the feeding sinker wheel (seeFigs. 1 and 2) which delivers the yarn between the needles on pfie esinkers B B are mounted to slide in a'rotating feed-wheel O. Thisfeed-wheel turns on a verticalbearing or post 38, secured by inwithreference to the axis of the needle cylinder 31, in a tubular guideway40, of a bracket 41, secured to the bed-plate 32.

The feed-wheel (3 is rotated through the .instrumen tality of a gear I)which meshes with the shanks of the main needlesa so that as thecylinder is rotated the needles act as teeth onthe cylinder to impartrotation to the gear. I

The drawings also illustrate pressers G and S for the two sets ofneedles. Certain of the knitting cams for both sets of needles areillustrated at I and N. The present improved stop-motion is shownapplied to a knitting machine having these characteristics.

In making a high grade knit fabric it is important that no defects.should a pear, which in common fabrics are cured y mending andaccordingly the present improvements provide automatic stopping deviceswhich stop the machine on the breakage or undue slackening of any one ofthe several yarns, and on the occurrence of any bunches or holes in thefabric.

The machine selected for illustration is driven from the belt-pulle 74(Figs. 1, 3 and 4) by a friction-clutch o well-known character whichcomprises a loose sliding cone 75, the clutch being such that when theconeis farthest from the pulley the machine is driven, and when nearestthe pulley the machine is stopped. This sliding cone is moved out and inby a bell-crank shipper-lever 76 being moved out by a spring 77 to stopthe machine (Fig. 4) and being moved in to start it again by the handle78 (Fig. 3). This shipper-lever 76 is caught and held in its innerposition by the catch-lever 79 (Fig. 7)

which is moved. automatically to catch the lever 76 by the spring 80(Figs. 4 and 7). The freeend of the upper horizontal arm of thiscatchlever 79 stands normally (1). (1.,

when the machine is running) just below the knock-off pin 81 (Fig. 4.)which slides vertii bed-plate 32.

cally in a tubular guideway' 82 secured to the This knock-off pin isforced downward quickly by a spring 83 and is lifted by a knob 84,. Itis held uplifted by a swinging shipping-latch or knock-oil R5 (Fi 3 and4) which enters beneath a shoulder thereof. Anything which swings theknee off away from the knock-off pin 8] trees it and permits thespring-83 to thrust it suddenly down, thus tripping the catch lever 7 9,releasing the shipper-lever 76, and permitting it to-be moved by itsspring 77 to stop the machine.

In order to stop the machine in case of any bunch,'hole or enlargementof the fabric as formed, the knock-off shipping-latch 85 is providedwith a depending feeler 86 (Fig. 4) which extendsinto the angle betweenthe dial' and cylinder verges, where it just clears the freshly knitedge or tell of the fabric. In case of an imperfection in the fabricwhich causes its upward projection, this feeler is encountered, theknock-off or shipping-latch 85 is moved and the machine is stopped. In

needles either when standing still or when the knock-oil swings, theribbing needles are drawn in slightly by the cam 87 (Fig. 3) and themain needles are drawn down slightly by the cam, which is shown back ofthe guide 82 in Fig. 1-. This feeler 86 and its auxiliary cams arewell-known in the art. 4

The train of shipping-mechanism is set in operation to stop the machine,when a yarn breaks or becomes unduly slack, by the following means: Aloose stop-ring or detector carrier U rests on the cap late 34 (Fig. 1),

the cylinder 31, being held loosely in place by this ring extend thegravity-detectors A, there being one detector for each yarn, and

feeds. As the several detectors are just alike a description of one willsuffice for all. The stop-ring or detector-carrier also carries a singlehammer V secured thereto which extends radially outward above thecap-plate (Figs; 1 and 3), terminating just behind a pin Z carried bythe shipping-latch or knock-off 85 (Figs. 3 and 4). It is, therefore,evident that forward rotation of the stop-ring or detector-carrier inthe direction in whichlthe stop-the machine.

Each detector fits slidingly in a hole in the detector-carrier, as lfestshown in Figs. 5 and .6, and passes thence downwardly through anelongated slot m in the cap-plate 34, which is concentric with the dial;When a yarn is intact its detector A is held up, as shown in Fig. 4, ashoulder on it preventing it from being pulled upwardly through the holein. the detectr'incarrier. In case, however, a yarn breaks or becomesunduly slack by reason of insufficient tension, the detector dro s(being "prevented from dropping too far by the pin 72), thus bringingits lower end i into the path of an upwardly projecting abutment W onthe rotating dial 33, as shown in Fig. 5, and coupling thedetector-carrier to the rotating dial. As a consequence the detector,and with it the detector-carrie13 moves with the dial, thus through thehammer V stopping the machine. The slot m in the and hence of thedetector-carrier, sufliciently to stop the rotation of thedetector-carrier by the dial as soon as the knock-off 85 has acted,

of the machine (owing to the high speed at which the machine is run)carries the diala considerable distance, and, since thedetectorconcentric with the axis 0 the dial 33, and

the pins it on the cap-plate (Fig.3). Through hence as many detectors asthere are yarn dial rotates will trip the knock-off and hence '70 orderthat the feeler may not encounter the cap-plate permits the travel ofthe detector,

far to actuate the knock-off. It is desirable because the momentum ofthe moving parts cause a noticeable defect in the fabric.

carrier carries with it all of the detectors for the several yarn-feeds.an equal travel of the detector-carrier would endanger the breakage ofall the still intact yarns, thus necessitating the mending of several orall of the yarns at the same time, which might allslo T e machine is,therefore, so ,constructed that the detector-carrier is automaticallyuncou led from the dial as soon .as the stopping mec anism has been setin operation. As shown in Fig cam consisting of a beveled recess 0 inits upper surface for each detector A, and with this recess cooperates adepending lug p on the detector-carrier." Ordinarily this luglies in therecess, as shown in Fig. 5, sothat the detector-carrier rests on thesurface of the ca plate. When, however, thedetectorcarrier ismov'ed bythe dial, the lug 72 rides upwardly on the beveled bottom of the recess0, thus Fig. 6, thereby uncouplin elevating, the detector-carrier, asshown in the detector A from the pin or abutment V on the dial, so thatduring the further continuation of the movement of the dial the,detectoncarrier stands still. Y Consequently the angular displacementof the detector-carrier is sli ht.

', The single detector-carrier suflices for all the detectors and hencefor all of the yarn- -feeds which may be employed, so that but a singletrain of stopping'devices actuated by the single hammer V is suflicient.There need be but a single abutment or pin W on the dial, but the moresuch pins there are the more promptly will the stopping mechanism be setin motion. The detector-carrier and its detectors are very simple andeffective and are within sight and convenient reach of the attendant ofthe machine. In

' ire-starting the machine after mending the broken yarn it is verysimple to restore the detector-carrier and it is certainly in properplace when it drops down upon the cap-plate, owing .to'its lugs 11)re-entering their respeca time recesses 0.

without de arting Numerous modifications may be made from the invention,for example, Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a preferred form of yarndetectors. The detectors A, 2, 4, 5 and 6, hang directly In Figs. Sand 9an intermediate multiplying-lever 92 is interposed between the yarn 7 sothat very littlestrain is borneby the yarn. As shown, the lever iscoiled at 93 to consti- 'tute a pivot-about the pin 94 which is securedto ringU by a set-screw. Any modifications ofth'e specific mechanismhereinb'efore described, such as have just been suggested, come withinthe scope of this invention as it is defined in the subjoined claims.

I claim asmy invention: 1. A knitting machine having a drives. 5 and 6,the cap-plate 34 has a,

and the detector A -ment, w

. ary plate, and carrier which encounters said cam, when the connectedwith said drive-shaft to stop the knitting-machine when moved in theproper direction, a hammer attached to said stop-rin or carrier andcooperating withsaid knock-o and a plurality of gravity detectors, eachhaving a thread-eye through which I yarns on its way to one of passesone of the the yarn feeds, each of said detectors being mounted to slidevertically in a guide-way in said stop-ring 'or carrier, said detectorsbeing normally upheld by their respective yarns out of the ment, buteach detector on the breaking or slackening of its yarn dropping bygravity into the path of said abutment, whereby the stop-ring rotatestherewith, thus-causing said hammer to actuate said knock-oil andthereby stop the machine, in combination with a cam on the saidstationary plate, and a stud on said stop-ring or carrier whichencounters said cam when the stop-ring or carrier isrotated, whereb thestop-ring or carrier is lifted and uncoup ed from the dial after theknock-off has been set'in operation, thus preventing undue motion of thestop-ring or carrier due to the momentum of the moving parts of themachine. 1

2. A knitting machine having a driveshaft, a plurality of yarn feeds, arotating or carrier is coupled to the dial and.

path of said rotary abutdial, a stationary plate, a stop-ring ordetector-carrier supported by the plate and movable thereon bothrotatively and to and from the same, an abutment on said dial rotatingtherewith, aknock-oif operatively connected with said drive-shaft tostop the knitting machine when moved in the proper direction, a hammerattached to said stop-ring or carrier and cooperating ,withsaid'knock-ofl', and a plurality of gravity detectors, each having yarnson its way to one of the yarn feeds, each of said detectors beingmounted to slide vertically in a guide-way in. said stop-ring orcarrier, said detectors a thread eye through which passes one of thebeing normally upheld by their respective yarns out of the path of saidrotary abutment, but each detector on the breaking or slackening of itsyarn dropping by ravity into the path of said abutcoupled to the dialand rotates therewith, thus causing said hammer to actuate saidknock-off and thereby stop the machine, in combination with a cam on thesaid stationa' stud on said stop-ring or stop-ring or carrier isrotated, whereby-the stop-ring or carrier is lifted and uncoupled.ereby'the stop-ring or carrier isv Srom the dial after the knock-offhas been set in operation, thus preventing undue motionof the stop-ringor carrier due to the momentum of the moving parts'of the machine. I

3. A knitting machine having, in combination, a drive-shaft,'alplurality of yarn feeds, a rotating dial, a stationary plate arotatable stop-ring or detector carrier supported by said plate, anabutment on said dial rotating therewith, a'knoek-dfi operativelyconnected with said drive-shaft to stop the knitting machine whenmoved'in the proper direction, a hammer attached to said stop-ring orcarrier, and cooperating with said knock-off, and a plurality of glravitdetectors, each having a thread-eye t roug which passes one of the yarnson. its'way to one of the yarn feeds,

each otsaid detectors being mounted to slide vertically in a guide-wayin said stop-ring or carrier, said detectors being normally upheld bytheir respective yarns out of the'path of.

said rotar abutment, but each detector on the breaking or slackening ofits yarn dropping by gravity into the path .of said abutment whereby thestop-ring or carrier is c'oupledto the dial and rotates therewith, thuscausing said hammer to actuate said knock-oil and thereby stop themachine.

4. A knittin machine having, incombina- 0 tion, a drive-shaft, aknock-oi? controlling the rotation of 'said shaft, a lurality of yarnfeeds, an abutment, a plurality of detectors, for the yarns, a carrierfor said detectors, said detectors being normally held by their yarnsout ol" the reach of said abutment, but so that when a yarn breaks orbecomes unduly slack its detector moves to couple said iletector-carrierand said.abutmentwhereby the carrier and the abutment move together andthus operate the knock-oil to stop the machine, and means forsubsequently and automatically uncoupling the carrier and abutment. I 5.Aknitting machinehaving, in combina .tion, a drive-shaft, means,controlling the rotation of said shaft, a yarn feed, an, abutment, adetector tor the yarn, a carrier for l l teeter to actuate saidcontroller operating said detector, said detector being normally seemsmally held by its yarn out of the reach of said movable abutment, but sothat when the yarn breaks or becomes unduly slack its detector moves tocouple said detector-carrier and said abutment whereby the carrier andthe abutment move together and thus operate the knock-off to stop themachine.

, 7. 'A knitting machine having, in combination, a drive-shaft, meanscontrolling the rotation of said shaft, a yarn feed, an abutment, adetector for the yarn, a carrier for said detector, said detector beingnormally held by its yarn out of the reach of said abutment,

but so that when the yarn breaks or becomes unduly slack its detectormoves to couple said detector-carrier and said abutment whereby thecarrier and the abutment move together and means in connection with oneof said members thereupon to operate the I A shaft-controlling means tostop the machine, and means for subsequently and automaticallyuncoupling the carrier and abutment.

8. A knitting machine having, in combination, a drive-shaft, meanscontrolling the ro- 4 tation of said shaft, an abutment disposed beneathsaid carrier, a yarn feed, a detector for the yarn, and-a carrier forsaid detector said detector being normally held by .its yarn out of thereach of said abutment, but when the yarn breaks or becomes unduly slackits detector moves. to couple said detector-carrier' and abutment,whereby the i carrier and the abutment-move together and thus operate.the shaft-controlling means to stop the machine.

9. A knitting machine having, in combination,'adrive-shal't, acontroller for said shaft, operating means for said controller, a yarndetector in. normally fixed relation to said controller operating means,a member having moveinent relative to thedetectorduring knitting, saiddetector being normally dotained in one position by engagement with theyarn but acting when released by breakage or slack in the yarn to engagethe i'nem her moving relative thereto, and means conneeting thecontroller oper atnig means and the detector thereupon actuated by thedeheld by its yarn out of the reach of said abut- 1 means.

ment, but-so that wheirthe yarn breaks or tion, a drive-shaft, aknock-off controlling the rotation of said shaft, a yarn feed, anormallymovable abutment, adetector for the yarn, a carrier for said. detectorco-stcting with said knock-off, said detector being nor- 10. A knittingmachine having, in combination, a drive-shaft, shaft, operating-meansfor said controller, a yarn detector'in normally fixed relationto saidcontroller operating'means, a member having movement relative to thedetector during knitting,said detector being normally detained in oneposition'by engagement with the yarn but acting when released by lbreakage or slack in the yarn to engage the l member moving relativethereto, means connecting the controller operating means and thedetector thereupon actuated by the detec l tor'to actuate saidcontroller operating means,

a controller for said i 1 eaeoie detector and relatively moving member ii l \ai'ter a predetermined interval.-

11. A knitting machine having, in combination, drive-shaft, a controllerfor said shaft, 0 erating means for said controller, a yarn etector innormally fixed relation to said controller operatingmeans, a memberhaving movement relative to the detector during knitting, t id detectorbeing normally detained in one position by engagement With the yarn butacting when released by break-- age or slack in the yarn tn engage themember moving relative t eto, means connecting the controller operati gmeans and the detector thereupon actuated by the detector to actuatesaid controller operating means, and a stop to limit the movement ofsaid connecting means.

1.2. A knitting machine having, in combination, a drive-shaft, aknock-off controlling the rotation of said shaft, a hammer for operatingsaid knock-0H, a yarn detector in normally fixed relation to the hammer,a

member having movement relative to the detector during knitting, said.detector being normally detained in oneposition by engage: ment with theyarn but acting When released by breakage or slack in the yarn to engagethe member moving relative thereto, and means connecting the hammer anddetector thereupon actuated by the detector to operate the hammer.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwosubscribing I Witnesses. JOHN S. URANEv Witnesses:

C. L. Pi tsn nn, C. ll. PERKINS.

